2008 Local Election Results

2008 Local Election Results

Written by Staff Friday, 06 June 2008

Round Rock Mayor Alan McGraw

• Political background: Served on city council seven years, four as Mayor Pro Tem
• Career background: Has run his own law firm in Round Rock since 1999, specializing in commercial real estate
• Education: Bachelor of business administration, Stephen F. Austin State University; master’s degree in taxation, Colorado State University; doctor of jurisprudence, University of Texas
• Lived in Round Rock: 15 yearsHometown: Jasper, Texas
• Contact: mayormcgraw@round-rock.tx.us • 218-5403

How did you first get into politics?

Back when I first got involved, we had a very divisive council and there was kind of a rift in the community. So, there was an effort to try to put together a council that could work together to get some things accomplished as opposed to fighting all the time. I was asked if I would consider doing that and said yes. I thought about it, talked with my wife about it and we decided to give it a try. And I won. That was in 2001. Then in 2004, they [the council] selected me as mayor pro tem right after I won my second election.

What would you like to change about Round Rock now that you are mayor?

I don’t see us in a position that requires drastic change like I saw when I was elected in 2001. We have a great city that everybody seems to be working together to make it a better place. So, I don’t see a drastic change coming. I see us continuing the successes that we’ve had and trying to keep the city moving forward, which I think we’re doing. The change will be more subtle and will probably be more a change in the style of leadership than a throwing out of the water and starting all over again. I just don’t see that happening.

From the government perspective, as far as some of the different initiatives we’re looking at, I would love to see the older areas become redeveloped. We’re concentrating on that now with the downtown plan. We’ve done that with our southwest downtown plan and I think we’re at the edge of that redevelopment wave, where it makes sense financially to come into some older parts of town, like the older buildings, and either renovate them, build something new, and start giving the town a facelift. I think there are several places throughout the city where we could do that. With that being said, the goal is not to make it to where people can’t afford to live here. So, there’s still going to be a focus and an emphasis on maintaining a town that is inviting to everyone. That’s got to be balanced in how we do this. The goal is to be more balanced where you have opportunities for all income levels to do well here.

What is something people may not know about you?

I love to travel the world and [bow and arrow] hunt. I love Africa. I am infatuated with parts of it. I have been there four times. My first trip there was to Zimbabwe in 1998 when it was the breadbasket of southern Africa. The economy was strong and everything was great. To watch what a horrible dictator can do to a country over a period of ten years, taking it from a breadbasket of southern Africa to 100,000 percent inflation and 85 percent unemployment — it is just maddening to see what those people had to go through because of that. It makes you feel so fortunate that our government can’t come in and raid your election office and take all your stuff away.

I also like to write and I have a big musical background. I played the trombone all through college. My son is learning to play the trumpet right now, so he’s teaching me to play it, too.

What are you most proud of accomplishing while a city councilman?

There are general answers and there are specific answers. The general answer is we did exactly what I had wanted to accomplish, which was help put together a council that could actually work together and that got along well. That doesn’t mean we agreed all the time, but we got along, and we were able to put personal differences aside and focus on what we were trying to accomplish. So, to me, that is probably the single most important thing that came out of the last number of years — just the cooperation among the council to accomplish things. There’s not a lot of ego, there’s not a lot of personal agenda or anything like that. It really is focused on the issues of what we need to do to improve the city.

When you drill deeper into that, you get into economic development, diversifying the economy from Dell and those sorts of things, which have been extremely important. But a lot of that would have never happened if we had a council that was constantly bickering with each other. You can effectively create political parties on your council if you’re not careful. And I don’t mean democrat or republican. I mean, this group versus that group. You look around at some of the surrounding cities and you see that. It’s always four/three votes or five/two votes. And it’s always the same five and the same two, or the same four and the same three. And you have effectively created these political parties, which at this level I don’t think is very helpful. In fact, I think it’s just the opposite — I think it’s destructive. We have non-unanimous votes all the time but you never know who is going to be voting for what because we’re not aligned with specific groups. It’s just everybody voting their consciences and that’s why you get some really interesting non-unanimous votes.

Where would we find you on the weekend?

You will find me with the kids at their basketball games, or you might find me at our ranch, at the lake or at work.

2008 Election Results

ROUND ROCK

Round Rock Mayor — Alan McGraw, mayormcgraw@round-rock.tx.us • 218-5403

Round Rock City Council Place 1 — Rufus Honeycutt (incumbent), rufushoneycutt@round-rock.tx.us • 218-5403

John Moman

Round Rock City Council Place 2 — George White, georgewhite@round-rock.tx.us • 218-5403

Round Rock City Council Place 4 — Carlos Salinas (incumbent), carlossalinas@round-rock.tx.us • 218-5403

Special election

Austin Community College District

Vote for or against annexation of the following territory for junior college purposes: that portion of the Round Rock Independent School District not presently included in the boundaries of Austin Community College district.

Charter amendments

Proposition 1: Amendment to the home rule charter of the City of Round Rock, Texas, providing for assistant(s) to the mayor and council appointed by the city manager, which assistant(s) shall be directed and supervised by the city manager, mayor, and council.

Proposition 2: Amendment to the home rule charter of the City of Round Rock, Texas, removing publication requirements and adding a provision that the council may by ordinance establish additional publication requirements.

Proposition 3: Amendment to the home rule charter of the City of Round Rock, Texas, providing that the charter review commission shall present its findings and proposals to council in a written report conforming to certain requirements and being signed by at least a majority of its members.

PFLUGERVILLE

Pflugerville City Council Place 2 — Mike Marsh, council2@cityofpflugerville.com • 990-4363

Pflugerville City Council Place 4 — Starlet Sattler, council4@cityofpflugerville.com • 990-4363

Fred Velarde

City of Pflugerville bond election

Proposition 1: City Hall - The issuance of $11 million tax bonds for a new city hall.

Proposition 2: Recreation Center - The issuance of $16 million tax bonds for a new recreation center.

Proposition 3: Library Expansion - The issuance of $7 million tax bonds for improvements to the existing library.